Cooler Weather is on It's Way

I just looked at the weather forecast for next week.  It looks a bit wet and perhaps there may be some snow in the mountains.  Looks like winter is on it's way.

Hopefully, you've started winterizing your boat.  I've drained all the water out of Snickerdoodle - including both the fresh water holding tank and the porta-potty's water closet.  I've also filled the "Dry-Z Air" dehumidifiers, and made sure that my electric dehumidifier and 60 watt heat strip were both plugged in.

This week I'll inspect the batteries to insure that there is enough electrolite in them and top up my fuel tank (adding Sta-Bil to make sure that the fuel will be good next spring).  I'll also run the engine for fifteen minutes or so to get the stabilized gas into the engine to help prevent resin accumulating in the carburator over the winter.

There's still a few weekends that will offer some great fall sailing; so, I won't put the winter tarps on just yet.  But, if you don't think that you'll be sailing again till next spring, it's time to put the tarps on to protect your boat.  Custom made tarps are great.  Blue or silver tarps work too.  One tip regarding tarps is to NOT drape the tarps over lifelines and stanchions.  When snow accumulates on the tarps during the winter, if you have draped the tarps over the lifelines, the snow doesn't slide off as easily as if you secure the edge along your toe-rail.  The snow accumulation will put a lot of pressure on the stanchion bases - maybe even damaging the stanchion or pulling the bolts up through the deck.

Remember to periodically check the snow accumulation on your boat during the winter and sweep off the snow.  I remember a couple winters ago when I went out to the marina  and there were several boats whose waterline stripes were below water due to the weight of snow on the boat.  Not a good thing...... Even if your boat is on a trailer, that added weight will try to push the trailer bunks/rollers up through the hull - not to mention flattening your already frozen trailer tires.

I also remember a few winters ago when I noticed one of the boats at the marina that looked low in the water - down by the bow.  The owner had not put any tarps on the boat and as the snow accumulated in the cockpit, it froze in the drain scuppers.  Then as the winter progressed with thawing, snowing and raining... the water accumlated in the cockpit until it was overflowing through the companionway hatch into the main cabin of the boat.  The boat was down by the bow about a foot (the waterline at the bow was underwater a foot); and if the bow was pushed down or raised up by lifting the bow pulpit, water could be heard sloshing around inside the boat.  Yikes!!!